Schuyler County, New York
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 36097 · population 17,896 · 328 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 317 records for Schuyler County, New York from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 250 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (142 records). The deadliest single record is the August 28, 1988 tornado: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1970, 11 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on October 1, 2018.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 317on 250 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 17 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $27Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 6strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 2020
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Schuyler County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 142 since 1969. 51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among New York's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 142 | 98 | 1969-2026 | 0 | 1 | $1.7M | 17 of 58 |
| Winter storms | 72 | 72 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $4.1M | 27 of 58 |
| Hail | 34 | 26 | 1971-2026 | 0 | 3 | $127K | 26 of 58 |
| Floods | 22 | 20 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $19M | 36 of 58 |
| Extreme cold | 15 | 14 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $36K | 24 of 58 |
| High wind and dust storms | 12 | 12 | 1998-2021 | 0 | 0 | $535K | 41 of 58 |
| Drought | 7 | 7 | 1998-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 58 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 6 | 1955-2026 | 1 | 1 | $1.8M | 13 of 58 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2001-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 58 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2000-2019 | 0 | 2 | – | 35 of 58 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 of 58 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Schuyler County had?
NOAA records 6 tornadoes in Schuyler County from 1955 to 2026, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 13th of 58 New York counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 6 tornadoes whose track touched Schuyler County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 6, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988-08-28 13:30, as SPC files it | Trumansburg | F1 | 13 mi | 1 |
| 1955-08-30 15:20, as SPC files it | Montour Falls | F3 | 1 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New York.
Every tornado record filed for Schuyler County (6)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Hector, Schuyler County | EF1 0.8 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2014-07-13 | Reading Center, Schuyler County | EF1 3.5 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $62K |
| 1990-08-28 | Schuyler County | F2 2.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1988-08-28 | Schuyler County | F1 9 mi x 880 yd | 1 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1964-06-15 | Schuyler County | F1 6.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1955-08-30 | Schuyler County | F3 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Schuyler County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindMontour Falls, Schuyler County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindTyrone, Schuyler County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-18 | TornadoHector, Schuyler County | EF1 0.8 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindHector, Schuyler County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindValois, Schuyler County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindHector, Schuyler County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-03-31 | HailWayne, Schuyler County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormSchuyler County · forecast zone Schuyler | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-23 | Winter WeatherSchuyler County · forecast zone Schuyler | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-03 | Thunderstorm WindMontour Falls, Schuyler County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2025-07-03 | HailMontour Falls, Schuyler County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-03 | HailBurdett, Schuyler County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988-08-28 | TornadoSchuyler County | F1 9 mi x 880 yd | 1 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1999-07-30 | HailTyrone, Schuyler County Three children suffered head injuries from being struck several times by hail averaging the size of golfballs. | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 3 | – |
| 2019-07-05 | LightningWatkins Glen, Schuyler County A thunderstorm caused a lightning strike to hit the Cayuga Loop campground, resulting in two minor injuries to campers. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2025-05-02 | Thunderstorm WindMonterey, Schuyler County A microburst occurred near Monterey which produced estimated peak wind speeds of 85 mph. Multiple properties were damaged, including the collapse of a wooden garage, major loss of a metal and wooden barn, major loss of metal roofing on another barn, and a hole from a 2-inch diameter branch that punctured through two ... | 74 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $126K |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-07-22 | Flash FloodSouth Portion, Schuyler County | 0 | 0 | $4.8M | |
| 2015-06-14 | Flash FloodWatkins Glen, Schuyler County | 0 | 0 | $3.2M | |
| 1996-01-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Schuyler County | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 1996-11-08 | Flash FloodCountywide, Schuyler County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2024-07-15 | Thunderstorm WindMontour Falls, Schuyler County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $329K |
| 2025-05-02 | Thunderstorm WindMonterey, Schuyler County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $126K |
| 2014-07-13 | TornadoReading Center, Schuyler County | EF1 3.5 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $62K |
| 2025-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindTownsend, Schuyler County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $18K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: August 28, 1988 (tornado, Schuyler County, 1 killed); August 28, 1990 (tornado, Schuyler County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Schuyler County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 50 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 15 | 33 | 14 | 10 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 7 | 8 | 4 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 5 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 30 · Feb 17 · Mar 29 · Apr 14 · May 34 · Jun 54 · Jul 50 · Aug 41 · Sep 13 · Oct 8 · Nov 11 · Dec 16 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Schuyler County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Schuyler County: 9 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (4) and severe storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-20 | DR-4480 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3434 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-10-01 | DR-4397 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3351 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2005-09-30 | EM-3262 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-08-03 | DR-1534 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-08-29 | DR-1486 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2003-08-23 | EM-3186 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2001-09-11 | DR-1391 | Fire | Fires and Explosions |
| 2000-10-11 | EM-3155 | Other | West Nile Virus |
| 1996-12-09 | DR-1148 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms High Winds, Rain and Flooding |
| 1996-01-24 | DR-1095 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3107 | Snowstorm | Severe Blizzard |
| 1972-06-23 | DR-338 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
| 1970-07-22 | DR-290 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Schuyler County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 22 flood or flash flood records for Schuyler County from 1996 to 2025, on 20 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Schuyler County ranks 1907th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $410,000 on 30 claims filed in Schuyler County; the most in one year was 11 in 1993. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 2 · 1993: 11 · 1996: 8 · 2003: 2 · 2014: 2 · 2018: 5; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Schuyler County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Schuyler County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.0 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $393K | 2.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $99K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $187K | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $4.5M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $99K | 30 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $153K | once in about 40 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $2K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $180 | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Schuyler County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in New YorkEvery New York tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in New YorkThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The New York recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Schuyler CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Schuyler County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis